Wab Kinew formally announced his bid for leadership of the Manitoba New Democratic Party at a press conference on the morning of April 10.

In an interview with CBC, Kinew stressed a desire to bring unity to the party “so that we can really give Manitobans a strong voice, first of all, and a few years down the road give them a really good choice of who to vote for.”

Kinew has had an eclectic career. He is the author of The Reason You Walk, a personal memoir about reconnecting with his Indigenous roots, and has worked as a broadcaster, musician, and university administrator. He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 2016 and currently sits as the MLA for Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge riding.

Kinew currently has only one competitor for leadership of a party that has been fractured since losing the province’s last election, following 17 years in power. Michelle McHale, a social-justice activist, made her bid in March. The leadership election will take place this September.